Taken Away
by RosalieAnneliese
Summary: Alex is Olivia's submissive, and this is the story of what happens in their lives. Sorry the summary sucks. The story will be better!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I am beginning a new multi-chapter story that has been rolling around in my brain for a while. If you don't enjoy reading about BDSM, then please don't.**

 _BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!_

Alex's eyes shot open and she hurried to turn off the alarm on her phone. She glanced over and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her beloved Mistress still sound asleep in bed, glad that the noise hadn't disturbed her. Olivia worked really hard and needed to rest on her days off. Alex stretched and carefully stood up from her mattress on the floor, folding her blankets neatly and pushing her mattress against the wall so it would be out of Olivia's path when she got up. It felt strange to wake up on her mattress; she didn't sleep on it very often, but Alex understood why she had been made to sleep by herself last night. Naughty girls didn't get to sleep in their Mistress's bed. Today was a new day with a clean slate, though. Alex showered, dressed in a lacy black bra and matching panties, and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. The white pearl on her collar dangled in the hollow of her throat as the submissive woman walked around the kitchen preparing the food and humming to herself.

The delicious smells of coffee, french toast, eggs, and sausage mingled together in the air and wafted down the hall to the bedroom, rousing Olivia from sleep. She sat up in bed, stretched, and took several slow, deep breaths, grateful that she didn't have to jump out of bed and rush off to work today. Olivia cherished her days off at home with her sweet little submissive. The brunette detective showered, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, and exited the bedroom.

"Good morning, beautiful." Olivia smiled lovingly, seeing her sweet little submissive in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on breakfast.

"Good morning, Ma'am." Alex smiled adoringly and dropped to her knees at Olivia's feet, gently pressing her lips to the back of Olivia's right hand in greeting.

"Up." Olivia ordered kindly, beckoning, and took Alex in her arms for a loving hug and a deep kiss, affection that Alex eagerly returned. It was several moments before the couple came up for air.

"Breakfast smells wonderful, angel. Good girl," Olivia praised, "but I think before we have breakfast, we'll have an inspection." Olivia sat down on one of the kitchen chairs and patted her lap.

Without hesitation, Alex draped herself across her Mistress's lap. Olivia took immaculate care of her property, and these inspections happened the morning after every punishment. Alex lay still as Olivia pulled her panties down and gently glided her hand across Alex's cherry red bottom.

"Is it a sore bottom, little one?" Olivia inquired kindly as she carefully inspected the results of yesterday's bare bottom paddling.

"Yes, Ma'am. It doesn't hurt as much as it did yesterday, but it is still sore." Alex replied honestly.

"What did you learn, sweetheart?" Olivia righted Alex's panties and turned her sweet little submissive face up to cuddle her close to her heart. Every punishment had to teach a lesson or it was useless as a deterrent for future misbehavior.

"I learned that I have to find better ways to express myself other than being a brat, Ma'am." Alex beamed as she was cuddled, relishing the affection after spending the night by herself. What she didn't know is that her Mistress had laid awake half the night, long after Alex fell asleep, her heart aching to relent and bring Alex to bed. Olivia never slept well on those nights when her sweet little submissive wasn't in bed with her.

"Good girl," Olivia praised, kissing Alex's forehead, "let's have breakfast now before the food gets cold." Olivia tenderly patted Alex's bottom.

Alex prepared two plates of food and poured two cups of coffee, bringing them over to where Olivia sat at the table waiting.

"Position four." Olivia ordered kindly.

Alex dropped to her knees and rested her bottom on her heels, placing her hands behind her back, grasping her elbows. She waited patiently for Olivia to take a bite of egg and take a sip of coffee before offering Alex a piece of sausage. Alex opened her mouth and accepted the sausage with her lips, chewing carefully before swallowing and waiting patiently for the next morsel. Alex adored being fed by hand. It was just one of the many ways her Mistress made her feel special and loved.

Alex had to admit that she was a very spoiled submissive. Olivia told her horror stories about the submissives she came into contact with every day at work. These submissives were abused and mistreated. They were called stupid, lazy, and worthless. Their basic needs for protection from the cold and the heat were denied. They were beaten bloody and screamed at, harshly punished for no reason. They were malnourished and terrified of making the slightest mistake. Olivia and her squad worked tirelessly, often encountering very dangerous circumstances, to rescue these submissives from their abusive Masters and Mistresses and place them in loving homes where they would be respected as valued members of the household.

Olivia bent over backwards to build up Alex's self-worth and self-esteem. Alex was allowed to sleep in her Mistress's bed. She was allowed to speak her mind and express her opinions freely. She was given a generous monthly allowance and was free to spend or save it as she pleased. She was well nourished, well rested, and well groomed. Her Mistress praised her often for good behavior and offered physical affection. Olivia was very strict and wouldn't hesitate to give her naughty little submissive a good, hard spanking on her bare bottom when Alex deserved to be punished, but there was no doubt in Alex's mind just how much she was loved and cherished as a beloved member of her Mistress's household, and Alex never came away from any punishment feeling like anything less than a treasured human being worth more than all the gold in the world. Alex knew that if she fell short, as all human beings sometimes do, she would be soundly spanked and forgiven. Olivia didn't believe in leaving her sweet little submissive to cry herself out alone after a sound spanking as she knew many Mistresses and Masters did. Olivia didn't believe in making Alex take cold showers or giving her punishment enemas or leaving Alex tied in painful positions for hours on end. She didn't believe in beating Alex until she was bloody and sporting painful black and blue bruises on her sweet, delicate face for a week. She didn't believe in verbally berating Alex. If Alex deserved to be scolded, Olivia's tone was very firm, but she never raised her voice or called Alex names or put her down in any way. When Olivia gave Alex an order, she certainly expected to be obeyed, but even her orders were spoken kindly. If they were in a public setting and Alex needed to be warned to straighten up or else, it was done quietly so that Alex would never be humiliated in front of anyone who didn't understand the lifestyle.

"Earth to Alex." Olivia's gentle voice penetrated Alex's thoughts.

Alex hadn't even realized that she'd gotten lost in her thoughts, and she looked up into Olivia's chocolate brown eyes. Olivia was not annoyed or irritated. She was calm and patient as she waited for her sweet little submissive to come back to her, holding a piece of french toast up to Alex's lips. Alex accepted the morsel of food.

"Where did you go just now, baby?" Olivia asked conversationally.

"I was thinking about you, Ma'am. I love you." Alex's baby blue eyes sparkled with adoration.

"I love you too, princess. You're such a good girl." Olivia praised with a loving smile.

"I'm full, Ma'am." Alex announced a while later.

"One more bite of french toast and two more bites of egg, then you can be done." Olivia told her, and Alex obediently opened her mouth.

"Good girl. We need to go grocery shopping today, so it's time to get dressed. Black jeans, a white t-shirt, your silver sandals, and your gold watch. Put your phone in your left back pocket, and you may put on a little bit of clear lip gloss and some nude eyeshadow. No mascara. When you are ready, wait for me to the left of the front door in position one facing the wall." Olivia ordered kindly.

"Yes, Ma'am." Alex stood up and obediently disappeared down the hall.

Olivia found Alex dressed and waiting for her exactly as instructed, standing to the left of the door facing the wall with her feet shoulder-width apart and her hands on her head. Olivia tenderly patted Alex's bottom to check that she had remembered her phone.


	2. Chapter 2

"Olivia!"

Olivia had just sent Alex off to fetch a carton of eggs when she heard her name being called. She looked over and saw her friend, Mistress Amanda Rollins, coming toward her with her submissive, Casey Novak, trailing behind her pushing their cart.

"Hey, Amanda. Successful shopping trip?" Olivia noted that their cart was nearly full.

"Well, I figured while we were out and about running errands, we might as well stock up on groceries."

"Good plan. And are you being a good girl today, Casey?" Olivia smiled kindly.

"I'm doing my best, Ma'am." Casey smiled, glad to be acknowledged.

"I think little miss Casey and I are going to go home and have a conversation about unnecessary road rage in the middle of the grocery store." Amanda looked at Casey pointedly.

"Yes, Ma'am." Casey pouted.

"Ma'am, can I have- oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt." Alex apologized quickly when she returned with a carton of eggs in her hand and realized that Mistress Amanda and Casey were there talking with Olivia.

"That's okay, Alex. We need to be going anyway. Come on, my little troublemaker. There's a hairbrush at home with your name on it." Amanda directed Casey toward the check-out line.

"What did she do?" Alex asked when Amanda and Casey were out of earshot.

"Something about road rage," Olivia shrugged, "what were you trying to ask me, sweetie?"

"Can I have this, please?" Alex asked hopefully, holding up her favorite chocolate bar. She knew better than to try to sneak anything that wasn't on the grocery list into the cart without Olivia's permission. Doing so would result in a trip to the store's restroom for a very hard bare bottom spanking.

"Yes, you may, princess." Olivia smiled lovingly, unable to help herself. Alex was just too cute when she was asking for something that she wanted and Olivia couldn't help but give in to most of Alex's requests. She loved to make her sweet little submissive smile.

"Thank you!" Alex reached up to plant a kiss on Olivia's cheek in gratitude.

"I think we're just about done shopping. We'll go home, put the groceries away, have lunch, and then we'll go to the club and work on some training."

Alex beamed. She adored training. Sometimes it was painful and sometimes it was scary, but pleasing Olivia was the best feeling in the whole world. Alex liked pushing herself and learning new things. She had an aversion to being tied up. It was a soft limit, and Olivia was lovingly helping her push past it. Alex had a few hard limits, and Olivia would never dream of crossing those, but she loved helping Alex overcome her soft limits.

"Freeze, little one. I get the first piece, please." Olivia stated after lunch when Alex was about to devour her chocolate bar, and held out her hand expectantly. Alex pouted, but obediently handed over the first piece of chocolate.

"Thank you, baby girl. Now after you finish your chocolate, go get changed for the club. Your pink sweats, your grey tank top, your light blue hoodie, and comfortable tennis shoes. Take off your makeup and see if you can find my duffle bag. The last time we went to the club, I put it in the top of the closet in the bedroom, so it should still be there unless it got moved when we were cleaning last weekend."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Alex went to the bedroom, changed her clothes as instructed, and went in search of Olivia's bag that contained all of the toys that they took with them when they went to the club, plus all of Alex's aftercare items. The bag was no longer in the top of the closet, but had been moved to a corner of the closet, so it was still easy to find. Alex took the bag and went to the living room to wait for Olivia. She hadn't been told to wait in any particular position, so she just sat down on the couch. A few minutes later, Olivia appeared wearing her own black tank top and grey sweats, her long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"Hey, George. You got room for us today?" Olivia asked when they arrived at the club and greeted George Huang, the receptionist behind the desk.

"It's a slow day, so there's plenty of space. Right now, the only rooms occupied are rooms twelve and thirteen. Everything else is open, so take your pick." George smiled and typed Olivia and Alex's names into the computer, registering their visit. They were allowed to take as long as they wanted with their activities, but everybody had to be signed in and out so they could keep track of who was in the building at any given time in case of an emergency. Olivia chose room eight for their session today because it was one of the bigger rooms with the most equipment, in addition to what the couple had brought with them from home.

"What's your safe word, my love?" Olivia asked, placing the duffle bag on the floor and bending down to unzip it.

"Chocolate, Ma'am." Alex responded, standing at attention with her heels together, back straight, and hands behind her back grasping her elbows. This was training and posture was important during training.

"Good girl. Strip." Olivia ordered kindly, and Alex immediately obeyed before returning to her original position.

Alex waited for her Mistress to do as she pleased with her, and suddenly found herself being hauled toward the Saint Andrew's cross by her hair. Olivia's grip was firm, but not cruel or painful. She was being very careful not to hurt Alex, but this was training and Alex needed to be in the proper headspace. Being led around by her hair was one way to set the right mood. Olivia positioned Alex facing the cross, and then fiddled with something behind them. Alex just waited, trusting wholeheartedly that she was perfectly safe in this room with her beloved Mistress by her side. No harm could come to her as long as Olivia was there to protect her. Olivia appeared in Alex's line of vision holding what appeared to be several silk scarves. She let Alex examine them for several long moments, watching carefully for any signs of fear.

Alex couldn't properly explain _why_ the idea of being tied up scared her. Maybe it was the helplessness she felt at not being able to move. On the other hand, the idea of being tied up sounded hot, which is why it was only a soft limit. Alex wanted to one day be able to drop it from her list.

"I'm right here, angel. You're safe." Olivia encouraged kindly as she gently tied Alex to the cross. She didn't tie the scarves too tightly. If Alex got scared, all she needed was one good tug and the knots would come undone. Alex whimpered under her breath, but she did not use her safe word. She wanted to prove that she could do this.

Olivia knew that Alex's bottom couldn't take anymore stimulation after the paddling it had endured the previous day, so she was going to focus on other parts of Alex's beautiful body during today's session. The brunette reached into the duffle bag and pulled out Alex's favorite doe skin flogger. She swished it a few times in the air, and then began to flog Alex's back, moving in criss-cross strokes and being careful to avoid Alex's kidneys, slowly building in speed and intensity. Alex loved that flogger and Olivia used it because she wanted Alex to associate being tied up with good things. Something was wrong, though. Alex was crying - no, she was sobbing.

"CHOCOLATE!" Alex suddenly screamed. Olivia threw down the flogger as if it had burned her and moved like lightning to release Alex from her bonds, taking her naked submissive from the cross and cuddling her close to her heart.

"Good girl. I gotcha, baby. You're safe." Olivia cooed.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, I can't do it! I'm too scared! I'm sorry!" Alex sobbed, afraid that she had displeased her Mistress.

"You don't have to be sorry about a thing, princess. You were amazing. I'm _so_ proud of you." Olivia praised, kissing Alex's sweaty forehead. Only six minutes elapsed between the time that Olivia put Alex on the cross and the time that Alex used her safe word, but it was progress and Olivia was very proud of her sweet little submissive.

When Alex was calm, she was rewarded for good behavior with several orgasms that left her lying in Olivia's arms panting for breath and floating in subspace. Olivia recognized the signs and ended the session. She wrapped Alex in a warm green blanket, knowing that it got very cold in subspace for her sweet little submissive. She reached into her duffle bag and pulled out a bottle of vitamin water, tenderly encouraging Alex to take small sips. Alex's back was a healthy shade of pink as Olivia applied soothing lotion to it, but the flogger had not caused any damage. Olivia rocked Alex and cooed tender words of love and praise in her ear while she waited for her sweet little submissive to come back to her.

Alex was slowly recovering when Olivia's cell phone rang, startling both women. Alex pouted. She hated it when Olivia was called in to work on her days off.

"All right, guys, we've got submissives in there, so let's be careful." Olivia stated as she and the members of her squad strapped on bulletproof vests. They had been tracking this particular illegal ring of Master and Mistresses for a while now, and it was time to make their move.

"POLICE!" somebody screamed as the door was kicked in.

The smell in the room just about knocked Olivia out. At least thirty men and women wearing collars and chains that were too tight cowered in the corners of the room while their Masters and Mistresses either tried to flee or tried to fight the police. It took some doing, but Olivia and her squad managed to place each and every one of them under arrest. With that accomplished, Olivia took a closer look around the room, and she thought her heart would break. It was the same old story: bruises, lacerations, starvation, filthy living conditions, and there was nothing but fear and hopelessness in their eyes.

"Elliot, call a bus! Call two!" Olivia shouted.

A submissive with short red hair who appeared to be in her late twenties suddenly began to cry. She had bruises and cuts all over her naked body and was in dire need of a shower. Careful not to scare her, Olivia slowly approached her and bent down in front of her. The girl tried to back away and held up one arm in front of her as if expecting to be hit.

"I won't hurt you. What's your name, sweetheart?" Olivia asked kindly.

"I-I'm Michaela, Ma'am." the girl whimpered.

"Hi, Michaela. My name is Olivia. I'm a police officer and I'm here to help. Those chains look painful. May I help you off with them?"

"Master will be angry." Michaela's lower lip trembled. No one had ever asked for her permission to touch her before and she wasn't sure how she felt about it.

"Michaela, nobody has the right to treat you the way you have been treated, whether you are a submissive or not. We know that none of you have contracts with your Masters and Mistresses. Your master has been arrested for imprisonment, abuse, and neglect, and he's going to jail for a very long time."

Michaela burst into fresh tears. If Master was in jail, who was going to take care of her now? Where would she go? How would she survive? She was too stupid to be out in the world on her own. Michaela continued to cry as somebody unchained her, and Olivia gently helped her to her feet and out the door where a warm blanket and an ambulance were waiting for her.


	3. Chapter 3

At the hospital, Michaela screamed whenever Olivia tried to leave the room.

"Don't leave me, Ma'am!" Michaela sobbed. She was sure that she would die if she couldn't see Olivia at all times. She couldn't explain it, but she just knew that this woman would protect her, and she was afraid if she lost sight of her that she would never see her again.

"I need to go talk to my squad, honey. The doctor is right here with you, and I will be right outside the door. You are perfectly safe. Just rest and be a good girl while the doctor examines you." Olivia tried to calm the hysterical woman.

"Please, Ma'am!" Michaela pleaded one more time.

"Okay, okay. Hang on." Olivia whipped out her cell phone and dialed a number.

"Hey, baby girl. I need you to come down to Mercy Hospital, please…. No, I am fine, sweetheart. I am not hurt at all. I just need your help with a situation going on down here…. Thank you, princess. Drive safely…. I love you."

Alex ran out to her car and drove to Mercy Hospital, burning with curiosity. Olivia had assured her that she wasn't hurt, but Alex knew that something was up.

"Okay, so I called my submissive, Alex. She is going to come keep you company while I work. Will that help you feel more comfortable?"

You could have knocked Michaela over with a feather. Never, _ever_ in her life was she ever spoken to so kindly by a Dominant, male or female, the way that Olivia had just spoken to her submissive on the phone. Master _never_ said 'please' or 'thank you', and he _never_ told Michaela he loved her or called her by such sweet nicknames. Michaela had never met a Dominant who actually loved their submissive.

Alex arrived twenty minutes later. She could have made the drive in fifteen minutes, but had hit traffic. Michaela watched in amazement and shock as Alex willingly walked into Olivia's arms and received a kiss to her forehead, nose, and lips. Olivia didn't force Alex to her knees to humiliate her in public, and she didn't slap her across the face or yell at her for keeping her waiting. Except for the collar around Alex's neck, Michaela saw none of the other characteristics that she thought were universal among all submissives. Alex had no visible bruises. Her clothes were clean and free of holes. She was thin and trim, but not underweight. She didn't have dark circles under her eyes. She didn't cower in fear. Alex held her head high and carried herself proudly. Alex's eyes sparkled with love for her Mistress, and she seemed happy.

"Alex, this is Michaela," Olivia introduced the two women to each other, "Michaela, this is my submissive, Alex. She's going to hang out with you while I'm working, and you two can get to know each other."

Alex stayed and chatted with Michaela for over an hour before Olivia returned. Michaela was shocked to learn that Alex had belonged to one Mistress for nearly twenty years. Michaela's current Master was her third one just this year because they kept kicking her out. Before Alex left to go home, she pulled Olivia aside.

"What's going to happen to her?" Alex asked.

"That's what we're trying to figure out, angel. Obviously none of these people are going back to their previous situations, so we'll have to find new placement for all of them. Elliot is on the phone right now with Rafael trying to get the ball rolling. Michaela is one of the less injured people that we rescued today. She's bruised and her psyche is messed up, but nothing is broken and other than being malnourished there is no internal damage, which is a damn miracle." Olivia tried to be as honest with Alex as she could. Respect worked both ways.

"I gave her my cell phone number so she can call me if she needs a friend. If you can't find anywhere else for her to go, can she come live with us? She's straight, but she can sleep in the spare room."

"I will think about it, baby, but it has to be her own choice. You know that. And I'm proud of you for being so kind to her. Good girl." Olivia praised kindly.

Alex beamed at being called a good girl.

"I have to work for a while longer, but I'll be home for dinner. Order us a pizza, please. Choose whatever toppings you would like, but no olives. And finish the rest of the laundry."

"Yes, Ma'am." Alex kissed Olivia's cheek and headed off to do as she was told.

Neither of them saw Michaela watching them, burning with jealousy. She so desperately wanted to be loved like that.

"Rafael is headed for a meeting with the head of Submissive Placement Services as we speak." Elliot announced as he walked into the room.

"Thank God. I'll touch base with him later."

"Breaks your heart, doesn't it? I would never dream of treating Kathy like this." Elliot sadly scanned the room of people, thinking of his beloved submissive at home with their five children.

"You see Kathy as a human being. I see Alex as a human being. The people who do _this_ ," Olivia gestured toward the occupied hospital beds, "don't see their submissives as human beings. They see them as toys with no emotions, needs, personalities, or desires. To them a submissive is just an object to own to make their lives easier."

"It's disgusting, is what it is." Elliot's blue eyes flashed dangerously.

"Down, tiger. I agree, but don't lose your cool. You'll scare them. I'm going to head back to the precinct and call Rafael, and then I'm going home. You know how to reach me if you need me. Don't need me."

"Roger that. I better call Kathy and let her know I'll be late."

Michaela laid in her hospital bed, exhausted but wide awake. It was the middle of the night, and the doctor told her she was going to be released into Submissive Placement Services' custody sometime tomorrow afternoon.

Submissive Placement Services was exactly what it sounded like. Their entire job revolved around re-homing submissives that had been removed from abusive situations and getting them any counseling or therapy they required. They also assisted Dominants in preparing to take on submissives who had abusive pasts. Submissive Placement Services did not advertise in the mainstream newspapers or TV commercials. Only the Special Victims Unit and people within the D/s community knew that they even existed. The mainstream community was generally accepting of Dominants and submissives, but there were still some who looked down on the lifestyle, so the organization's existence was kept close to the vest just as a matter of safety. It just happened to be coincidence that the captain of the Special Victims Unit, Olivia Benson, was both a police officer _and_ a member of the D/s community, so whenever a call came in about a submissive who needed help, Olivia had a unique perspective that a member of the mainstream community just didn't possess. She was also very good at helping victims who weren't members of the D/s community. A special victim was a special victim, whether they were a submissive, Dominant, or a member of the mainstream community.

Alex was one of the lucky ones who had never needed SPS's assistance. She had found her perfect match right off the bat thanks to a blind date set up by mutual friends, and here they were nearly twenty years later still very much in love and going strong. Their contract was cherished and obeyed by both partners, and there was mutual respect. They still hit bumps in the road, as all relationships do, but luckily they were both very good communicators and were able to discuss issues and work through problems until they were both satisfied with the results.

Michaela hadn't been so lucky. After running away from an abusive stepfather at age seventeen, she resorted to selling her body on the street to survive and met her first Master. Michaela had no previous knowledge about D/s safety and protocol. She didn't know that contracts were an important part of the relationship so there would be no confusion between partners. She didn't know that she was allowed to have a safe word and hard limits. She didn't know that she was allowed to communicate her needs, wants, and desires. She thought that being a submissive meant that deciding to _be_ a submissive was the last decision she got to make. Life with her stepfather had taught Michaela that she was worthless and stupid. Life on the street had taught her that she was an object to be used and disposed of by whomever came along. Michaela's first Master, and every Master after him, just confirmed what Michaela had already been taught.

Michaela's first Master quickly grew bored with her and sold her to an illegal ring of Masters and Mistresses for a large sum of money. Within this ring, Michaela was bounced around from Master to Master, never staying in one house for very long. One Master was almost kind to her, but he was a very ill, elderly man and passed away in the middle of the night fourteen months after Michaela's arrival. Michaela grew used to the array of homes, and made it a point to never get comfortable anywhere, knowing that she would eventually have to leave. She had no money, no insurance, and no possessions to her name. Rape was a daily occurrence and Michaela wasn't allowed to say 'no'. Beatings happened nearly every day and aftercare didn't exist. Michaela didn't understand the difference between a spanking and a beating. In her mind, it was all the same.

Michaela sighed and rolled over, closing her eyes and trying to go to sleep. She was a submissive and had no say in what happened to her, so she would just have to wait and see what the next day would bring.


	4. Chapter 4

"What the _hell_ does _that_ mean?!… Look, I've got _thirty_ submissives who need emergency placement! Three of them are being released from the hospital this afternoon, and they have nowhere to go!… Just have him call me when he gets in!"

Don Cragen slammed the phone down and huffed, rubbing his forehead in annoyance. It was only 8:45 in the morning and he needed more coffee.

"Sir, we just got a call back from the director at Rosewood informing us that they currently only have one available bed, and Worthington says they have _no_ beds available. Also, Olivia is here to see you." Lena Petrovsky walked into her boss's office with a clipboard.

"Send Olivia in." Don scribbled his signature on Lena's clipboard. He wasn't expecting to see Olivia today, but she always brightened his mood.

"Hi, Daddy." Olivia walked in and kissed his cheek. He was not her biological father, but he was the closest thing to a parent that she had.

"Hi, baby. Did I forget that we set up a meeting?" Don tried to remember everything on his schedule for the day.

"No, sir. I'm here on my own. Do you have time?"

"I always have time for you. I'm just waiting to hear back from the director of Kincaid regarding availability. So far, Rosewood is the only Transition Station that has any vacancies, and they only have one bed. I'm hoping that Kincaid will have at least two, since we have three submissives that need a place to go today."

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about that, actually." Olivia sat down and carefully explained her desire to take in one of the recently rescued submissives.

Don listened intently. This was highly unusual. Normally, when a submissive or a group of submissives were removed from an abusive situation, they were evaluated at the hospital, and then, if they didn't need a long-term hospital stay, they were sent to one of the three Transition Stations in New York where they would live and receive counseling and any necessary therapy until a proper home could be found for them. Don had been at this job for quite some time and could count on one hand the number of times a submissive went from the hospital straight to a Dominant's home. It wasn't unheard of, but it was extremely rare.

"What does Alex think about all this?" Don asked, knowing that Olivia would never make a decision to take in another submissive without Alex's input.

"It was her idea, actually. Michaela was freaking out and wouldn't let me out of her sight, so I called Alex down to the hospital to keep her company while I was working, and I guess they hit it off." Olivia explained.

"I'm sending Abbie down to the hospital to be with her when she gets discharged. If you like, you can go with Abbie and figure out from there what Michaela wants. If she wants to go with you, then you can take her from the hospital to your house. Abbie can give you all the necessary paperwork and all the literature you're required to read. If Michaela doesn't want to go with you, Abbie will take her to one of the Transition Stations."

"Hi, Michaela. My name is Abbie Carmichael, and I believe you've already met Detective Benson." Abbie spoke kindly to the redhead sitting in the hospital bed.

"Hi, Michaela. How are you feeling?" Olivia asked with a smile.

"I'm fine, Ma'am. Hello, Miss Carmichael." Michaela replied respectfully. She had been given a warm shower and a meal as soon as she arrived at the hospital, and it felt really good to be clean and have a full belly. She was also wearing a clean pair of sweats that the hospital had given her.

"So, we hear you're ready to be discharged from the hospital, and that's great news. While we wait for the doctor to come, though, we need to talk. I work for Submissive Placement Services. Do you know what my job is?" Abbie asked.

"No, Ma'am." Michaela replied honestly.

"Well, my job is to help you transition to a new home and make sure that you are safe. The ring of Dominants that you were involved in was an illegal ring, which wasn't your fault, and I'm here to help you make sure that everything is legal this time around. Now, Detective Benson has informed us that she is willing to welcome you into her home as her submissive. What we need to know is if that is something that you want. If you don't want to go with her, then I will take you to a place called a Transition Station and you will live there until a permanent placement can be found for you."

"What do you say, sweetheart? Do you want to come live with me and Alex?" Olivia smiled.

Michaela considered her options. She'd heard of Transition Stations before. They weren't horrible. They were clean and provided you with three meals a day, a warm bed, and a roof over your head. They were just a stop along the way, though, and there was no way of knowing whether you would be there for a few days or a few months, which was just par for the course in Michaela's life. On the other hand, if she went with Olivia, she might be able to somehow prove that she was worth keeping permanently. She was straight and didn't know how to have sex with a woman, but she could learn if it meant that Olivia would keep her. Alex appeared to be well cared for and happy, so even if Olivia didn't keep her permanently, there was at least some hope that she would be treated somewhat decently before she had to leave.

"Yes, Ma'am. I would like to go with you." Michaela said after a long moment. As soon as the words left her mouth, she began to get scared.

What if Alex wasn't truly as well cared for and happy as she seemed? What if Michaela had just signed herself up for more of the same abuse she had just been rescued from? Olivia seemed genuine, but so had many other people in Michaela's life, and she had been proven wrong every single time. But the words had left her lips and she couldn't take them back. She had sealed her own fate and now she deserved whatever happened to her.

"That's great news. Well, Olivia, you've done this before, so here is the same set of paperwork that you filled out for Alex. Take it home with you and mail it to my office once it is complete. Oh, and here is the literature you are required to read. Michaela, you are required to go through counseling, so I will set that up for you."

At that moment, the doctor came in to look over Michaela's bruises and check her lungs once more before signing off on her discharge papers. The doctor sent a nurse in to unhook Michaela's IV, and then Michaela found herself being wheeled out of the hospital to Olivia's car. She had nothing except the clothes on her back.

"Alex!" Olivia opened the door to the apartment and ushered Michaela inside.

Michaela looked around. The apartment wasn't huge, but it was a decent size and definitely nicer than anywhere she had ever lived before. It was clean and warmly decorated. It wasn't dusty and dark. There were no mice running around. The walls and carpet were intact. She assumed there was plenty of hot water in a place as nice as this. Whether she would be allowed to use it was another matter, but she wasn't going to think about that right now.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. Casey called me." Alex suddenly appeared from down the hall. She dropped to her knees at Olivia's feet and kissed the back of her right hand both in greeting and in apology for not coming immediately when called. She was supposed to come right away when Olivia called her unless she was in the bathroom.

"Up." Olivia beckoned, and turned Alex to the side, giving her one solid spank to her bottom. Alex winced, but did not cry out. Olivia immediately turned Alex back to face her and kissed her forehead, nose, and lips to assure Alex that it was a minor correction and was forgiven. Michaela jumped slightly when Olivia's hand made contact with Alex's bottom, and her jaw nearly hit the floor when she realized that this one swat was all that Alex was going to get.

Olivia reached into a drawer and pulled out a thick notebook and a pen before sitting down on the couch and making herself comfortable.

"Alex, position two. Michaela, watch what Alex does and do the same, please." Olivia instructed kindly.


	5. Chapter 5

Alex sat down criss-cross on the floor at Olivia's feet, and after a brief moment Michaela copied her, moving a bit more slowly because of her bruises. Olivia opened the notebook on her lap to a blank page and wrote Michaela's name and birthdate at the top.

"Good girls. Michaela, welcome home, baby. Before anything else gets said, I want you to know that you are safe. You've had a rough time of life up until now, and if I have it my way, nobody is ever going to hurt you again. In this house, you will always be respected as a human being. I want you to feel free to come and talk to me if you are confused or unhappy about something. I can't help you fix it if you don't talk to me. You are allowed to speak your mind and I will always listen to what you have to say. I am in charge around here, but your opinions, needs, wants, and desires will not be overlooked. You will be expected to obey the rules just the same as Alex does, and I may sometimes have to punish you for breaking the rules. That's okay. It doesn't make you a bad submissive or a bad person. It just means you are human like everybody else, and everyone makes mistakes from time to time. What matters is learning from your mistakes. I don't expect either of my girls to be perfect. I saw the look on your face when I swatted Alex a minute ago. In this house, beatings _do not_ happen for _any_ reason. Spankings happen when you deserve them, or reminder swats like Alex got, but I don't believe in beatings. If I am angry at something you have done, I will wait until I am calm before I punish you. I don't ever want you or Alex to be afraid of me. Do you understand everything I just said?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Michaela listened to everything that her new Mistress was saying and wanted so desperately to believe that it was all true.

Alex smiled. She had received a modified version of the same speech.

"Good girl. Now, moving on. The very first thing we need to do is establish a safe word for you. Do you know what a safe word is?"

"No, Ma'am." Michaela pouted.

"That's okay, sweetie. I will explain it to you. A safe word is a word that you say when you get scared or unsure of your surroundings and you need everything to stop. For example, Alex's safe word is 'chocolate', because she would eat chocolate for three meals a day if I let her. It's just a random word that you can easily remember when you are stressed out, and it is there to keep you safe. When you say your safe word, whatever is happening stops immediately and we assess the situation and fix whatever is wrong. Do you know what you would like your safe word to be? Take your time and think about it."

"May I use 'bubbles' as my safe word, please, Ma'am?" Michaela asked after a long pause.

"Yes, you may. That's a good word. Now here's a random question for you. Do you have a favorite color?" Olivia wrote down the word 'bubbles' in her notebook underneath Michaela's name and then looked up and waited for an answer to her question.

"I like purple, Ma'am."

"Good to know. We're going to go shopping to get you a few things. For tonight, you'll use one of our spare toothbrushes, but by tomorrow you'll have a toothbrush of your own in your favorite color, and at least by Friday you'll have a collar in your favorite color too. I have a friend who can create pretty much any type of collar you can imagine. As you can tell, Alex's favorite color is blue." Olivia gestured to the blue collar around Alex's neck with the white pearl dangling at her throat.

Olivia, Alex, and Michaela went over a ton of information, and by the time they were almost done, Michaela's head was ready to spin. She hoped that Olivia would be patient with her. Olivia gave her a written list of all of the rules for her to study. There were eleven of them:

Greet Mistress on your knees and kiss her right hand

Address Mistress as 'Ma'am' at all times

Do not pleasure yourself without permission

Always tell the truth

Be respectful

Accept punishments like a good girl

Come when you are called

If you make a mess, you clean it up

Use your safe word when needed

Do not whine

Obey orders to the best of your ability

"Do you have any questions about the rules, sweetheart?" Olivia asked kindly.

"I don't think so, Ma'am." Michaela responded honestly. It all seemed pretty clear.

"You may develop some as time goes by, and I don't want you to be afraid to ask them. You will never be punished for asking a question about a rule, only for breaking a rule. However, since I now have two lovely girls living with me instead of just one, there is a new rule to add to that list. The new rule is that there will be _no_ fighting. Bickering is going to happen, that's just life, and we will handle that as it comes up. But there will be _no_ screaming matches and _no_ cat fights, or I will have two naughty girls with sore bottoms. Do you understand?" Olivia directed her gaze first toward Alex, then toward Michaela.

"Yes, Ma'am." both women responded obediently. Alex had already been punished for fighting with another submissive in the community who she didn't particularly like. She didn't want to experience a spanking like that ever again.

"Good girls. Now, the last thing we need to do is draw up Michaela's contract, and then once we have written it all out I will take it to a lawyer to get it signed and filed with Alex's. Would you like to see a copy of Alex's contract so you can see an example of what a contract is, honey?" Olivia asked.

"Yes, please, Ma'am." Michaela had no idea what a contract was.

"Alex, may I show Michaela a copy of your contract?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Alex smiled. She excited to have Michaela with them and she was going to be as helpful as she could be.

"Thank you, princess." Olivia reached into a folder and took out a sheet of paper. Instead of handwriting, it was typed up neatly.

May 12th, 1999

On this day, Dominant Olivia Margaret Benson and submissive Alexandra Justine Cabot agree to live together by the rules and guidelines pre-established by face to face negotiation.

Alexandra understands the duties and expectations of a submissive and agrees to abide by them to the best of her ability under the care of her Dominant until such time as one or both parties decides to sever the relationship, or until death parts them.

Alexandra's safe word is "chocolate". Her hard limits are scat, animals, children, needles, and bloodplay. These limits are non-negotiable.

Olivia understands the duties and expectations of a Dominant and agrees to care for, teach, guide, and direct Alexandra to the best of her ability until such time as one or both parties decides to sever the relationship, or until death parts them. Olivia will respect Alexandra's safe word and hard limits.

If at any time Alexandra's safe word or hard limits are not being respected by her Dominant, Alexandra will be removed from Olivia's care and placed in the custody of Submissive Placement Services until such time that a suitable placement can be found for her.

At the bottom of the contract were four signatures. One belonged to Olivia, one was Alex's, one was the lawyer's, and one belonged to a legal witness. Michaela was officially fascinated. Clearly these contracts held a lot of weight. This was going to be difficult, though. Michaela had never had a contract before. She didn't know what her hard limits were, and decided to go with Alex's, just to be safe. Olivia wrote down Michaela's contract on a piece of paper for now. Later on, it would be typed up properly and signed.

Days turned into weeks, and Michaela was shocked to learn that not only did she have a bed to sleep in and food to eat, she was free to use the hot water in the shower anytime she pleased. Alex was more than willing to share her collection of shower gels and shampoos. So far, the two submissive women were getting along beautifully and Olivia was very proud. Olivia put in an order for her friend to make a collar for her. When Michaela finally had her new collar around her neck, it was the strangest sensation she had ever felt. Her previous collar was nothing more than a heavy chain that was too tight around her neck. Her new collar was made of supple leather, dyed purple, and fit Michaela's neck perfectly.

Michaela was also learning that she was not going to be harshly punished for every little thing. The second evening she was there, she was washing the dishes after dinner when a dish slipped out of her hand and shattered on the floor. Olivia came running to see what had happened, and Michaela began to visibly shake, fearing her new Mistress's wrath. Olivia saw the fear in Michaela's eyes and approached her very slowly and carefully.

"Come here, sweetheart. I'm going to put my hands on you, okay?" Olivia slowly reached out and lifted Michaela up onto the counter so that her bare feet were well away from the broken shards of porcelain on the floor. Olivia very carefully inspected Michaela's hands and feet to see that she had no cuts, and was relieved to find none. Her sweet little submissive was not hurt. Alex went to the pantry and got out the broom and dustpan, bringing it back and waiting until Olivia was finished with her inspection. She knew better than to clean the mess up herself. In this house, everyone cleaned up their own mess.

"All right. Good girl. Here's the broom and the dustpan, just clean up as best as you can." Olivia said.

Michaela just stared at Olivia in complete shock. Where was the screaming? Where was the anger and rage? Where was the beating or the spanking? Michaela had just broken something that belonged to her Mistress, and here Olivia was as calm as could be, calling Michaela a good girl and telling her to just clean up the mess. Good girls didn't make messes. Good girls knew how to be neat and tidy at all times. Michaela was a bad girl, and she knew it. She didn't understand why Olivia was being so kind to her.

Michaela cleaned up the mess, but she couldn't force herself to relax. The shit was going to hit the fan at some point. It always did.

"Come here, girls." Olivia called from her spot sitting on the couch.

Alex and Michaela immediately went to their Mistress, and Michaela was once again shocked to find herself being settled comfortably sitting on Olivia's left knee, with Alex on Olivia's right knee, and Olivia holding each girl around the waist securely. Michaela would soon come to learn that Olivia loved holding and cuddling her submissives.

"Alex, princess, can you please tell Michaela when punishments are given in this house?" Olivia inquired kindly.

"When we break a rule, Ma'am." Alex responded confidently.

"Good girl. Michaela, sweetheart, can you please tell me where on the list of rules it says 'do not have accidents'?"

"Nowhere, Ma'am." Michaela responded after a moment of thought.

"Good girl. That's correct. Did you break that plate on purpose?"

"No, Ma'am." Michaela's eyes widened, praying that Olivia would believe her.

"No, you didn't. It was an accident. You didn't mean to do it. If you break something because you are being careless and not paying attention, you may get a reminder swat, but you will never, _ever_ be punished for an accident." Olivia assured her kindly.

Michaela received her first reminder swat the next day for not being polite, and Olivia spent twenty minutes comforting her distraught little submissive while Michaela cried and begged her Mistress not to throw her out.

Alex watched Michaela be rocked in their Mistress's arms and tried not to feel the first stirrings of jealousy inside of her.


	6. Chapter 6

"Ma'am, can I talk to you?" Alex asked, crawling up onto the bed on her knees. She knew she had to get her feelings out of her system before she ended up acting out and getting a spanking.

"Of course, my love. Come here." Olivia looked up from her paperwork, set it aside, and opened her arms for her sweet little submissive.

Michaela was already asleep in her bed after a long day of training, and Olivia and Alex had retired to their bedroom for the evening. Alex willingly snuggled into her Mistress's arms and relished her time alone with her Mistress as Olivia gently ran her fingers through Alex's long blonde hair the way Alex liked.

"Do you love Michaela more than me, Ma'am?" tears filled her eyes as the words left her mouth.

To say that Olivia was shocked was an understatement. She recognized that Michaela had been taking up a lot of her time since she arrived, and she had been trying to give Alex plenty of extra cuddles and love to make up for it.

"How many people live in this apartment, baby?" Olivia asked, kissing Alex's forehead.

"Three, Ma'am."

"Good girl. I have two beautiful girls living in this apartment with me, and I love both of them more than anything. You have been with me for almost twenty years. You were my first baby girl. Michaela has only been here for a few weeks. I know that I have been spending a lot of time with her since she got here, but I have to give her all the same training I gave you and that is rather time consuming, as I'm sure you remember. I am very sorry if you've felt neglected, angel. What can I do to make it up to you? How about you and me have a lunch date when Michaela goes to therapy tomorrow afternoon?"

"Thank you, Ma'am," Alex smiled, "I don't mean to sound selfish or be a brat, but it's hard sharing you." Alex pouted cutely, and Olivia laughed.

"You, my darling, are neither selfish nor a brat. I am _so_ proud of how helpful and kind you've been for the past two and a half months. And thank you for coming to talk to me about how you were feeling. Good girl. Go to the kitchen and open the pantry. Behind the flour, I've hidden a box of lemon bars." Olivia winked and smiled as Alex excitedly got out of bed and hurried toward the kitchen, quickly returning with the unexpected treat and climbing back into bed, handing the lemon bar over to her Mistress and settling back in Olivia's arms.

"Bite." Olivia ordered kindly, holding the lemon bar up to Alex's lips. Alex bit off a small bite and chewed it carefully.

The next afternoon, Olivia drove Michaela to therapy.

"I'll be back to pick you up in an hour, princess. Just wait for me on the bench as usual." Olivia kissed Michaela's forehead before she got out of the car.

"Yes, Ma'am." Michaela responded. So far, Olivia had always come back for her when she left her at the therapist's office, but Michaela was still bracing herself for the day when she would be dropped off and Olivia never came back.

Olivia took Alex to her favorite restaurant and let her order whatever she wanted. The two laughed and joked over lunch. Alex was giggling happily when suddenly there was an angry voice coming from another table.

"Shut up! Slaves are to be seen and _not heard_!"

Olivia's head snapped up to see who had attacked her baby, and came face to face with the Mistress of the submissive that Alex had gotten into a fight with a while back.

"Excuse me, we are just enjoying a nice lunch out, the same as you are. I made a joke and she was laughing at it. There is nothing wrong with that. If you have a problem with something that _my_ girl is doing, then I would appreciate it if you would address me and not her." Olivia's brown eyes flashed dangerously. She was extremely protective of her property.

Effectively silenced, the other Mistress huffed angrily as she paid for her food and left the restaurant with her submissive trailing behind her. Olivia rolled her eyes. She appreciated that every Dominant had their own philosophy about what a submissive should and shouldn't be allowed to do and how they should be treated, but she was _not_ going to let someone else attack one of her girls and get away with it.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Olivia carefully searched Alex's blue eyes for any signs of emotional distress.

"Yes, Ma'am." Alex gave a little smile.

A few days later, Michaela earned her first real spanking. She had earned reminder swats before, but this was to be her first true punishment. Olivia brought her to the bedroom where all spankings took place and closed the door behind them to give them privacy, but she knew that she couldn't spank Michaela while she was so hysterical. Olivia sat down on the bed and brought Michaela to sit down on her lap, cuddling her distraught submissive close to her heart.

"Calm down, my love. Take a deep breath and calm down. You're safe and nothing is going to happen until we talk about this." Olivia comforted her, rocking slowly.

Michaela clung to Olivia as tightly as she could as she sobbed and cried. She had disobeyed a direct order, and now she was going to be beaten and thrown out. Nobody wanted a disobedient submissive who couldn't follow orders. Olivia had been so kind to her, and now with one mistake Michaela was certain that she had thrown it all away. It took several minutes, but Michaela finally calmed down to the point where she was still crying, but she was no longer sobbing. Olivia waited a few extra minutes to make sure that Michaela would remain calm.

"Kneel in front of me, honey." Olivia ordered kindly, pointing to a spot on the floor at her feet. Michaela obediently slid from Olivia's lap to the floor. Maybe if she fully cooperated, the beating wouldn't be too bad and maybe Olivia would at least find her a decent home instead of throwing her out into the street. She couldn't survive out on the street again. She would meet her death in a matter of weeks.

"That's my good girl. You don't have to be afraid, angel. I am disappointed in your behavior, but I am not angry with you. You disobeyed me and there are going to be consequences, but I still love you. You are one of my girls and nothing you do could ever make me stop loving you."

"I'm sorry, Ma'am." Michaela apologized tearfully, not truly believing the things that Olivia was telling her.

"I know you are, and you are forgiven."

Michaela just stared at Olivia in shock. Never, _ever_ had she been told she was forgiven for screwing up. Olivia lectured Michaela on the importance of obedience, and Michaela continued to stare in shock. She was clearly being scolded, but she didn't understand why Olivia wasn't screaming at her.

"Stand up, sweetie." Olivia ordered kindly once the lecture was over. Michaela obeyed.

"Okay, now, you know you've earned a spanking, baby girl. I'm going to pull your shorts and panties down, and spank your bare bottom with my hand. It is going to hurt, and you can cry as much as you want. After your spanking is over, I will hold you and comfort you for as long as you want. Alex usually likes to lay down for a nap after a spanking, and if you want, you can too. This is your first spanking, so I am only going to use my hand today. If you ever disobey me again, I will have to use an implement like the hairbrush or the paddle. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Michaela's lower lip trembled. She was not used to Dominants being so calm while doling out punishments, and she was waiting for the shit to hit the fan. She remained still while Olivia pulled down her khaki shorts and panties to her knees, and then guided her across her lap into the proper position.

Never having been spanked before, Michaela was unfamiliar with the 'over-the-knee' position and didn't understand how Olivia was going to be able to beat her in this position. She also didn't understand why Olivia hadn't removed her shirt and bra as well. Submissives didn't deserve to have any clothing to protect them during a beating.

Michaela jumped in surprise when she felt a hard swat on her bottom, followed by another, and another.


	7. Chapter 7

Alex did her best to concentrate on anything other than the sounds that were coming from behind the bedroom door. She had never heard what it sounded like from the other side of the door, and it unnerved her slightly. Her heart went out to Michaela, knowing first hand just how much a spanking from their Mistress hurt. Since it was Michaela's first spanking, Alex knew that Olivia was only using her hand. Olivia was strong, and even a hand spanking was _very_ painful, but Alex knew full well that Olivia loved them and would never harm them. However, Michaela didn't know this yet, and was carrying on as if she were being chased by an ax murderer.

Olivia was doing her best to ignore Michaela's sobs and screams, and concentrate on giving her naughty little submissive a sound spanking. Michaela's right hand was now trapped in the small of her back after she tried to reach back and cover her bottom to block the spanking. If Michaela was being honest with herself, the spanking was incredibly painful, but she had certainly endured worse beatings in her life. However, her emotions were all over the map and it was causing her reactions to the spanking to be heightened. The only thing she could focus on was that she was a complete disappointment. She so desperately wanted to please Olivia, and she had failed.

"Please no more!" Michaela pleaded through her sobs, finally giving in to the inevitable and going limp across Olivia's lap. The realization that she could plead for mercy and not be torn apart for it didn't even dawn on her.

When she felt Michaela go limp across her lap, Olivia delivered five final swats to Michaela's cherry red bottom and then ended Michaela's first spanking. She immediately scooped her sweet little submissive up into her arms and cuddled her close to her heart, rocking slowly and stroking her short red hair.

"That's my good girl. It's all over, baby. It's all over. No more spanking. You did _so_ well, lovey. I'm _so_ proud of you." Olivia cooed tenderly in Michaela's ear just as she always did for Alex, rocking slowly, kissing Michaela's forehead, and waiting for her sweet little submissive to come back to her, assuring Michaela that her punishment was over and that she was forgiven and loved.

Michaela clung to her Mistress for dear life and tried to make sense of what was happening. Was her punishment over already? Why had Olivia only hit her on her bottom and not the rest of her body? Why was she praising her for taking her spanking like a good girl? Years of abuse had taught Michaela not to cry out when a beating occurred. Today she had screamed and sobbed and tried to block Olivia's hand. Surely she was going to be punished further for that.

"Come in, princess." Olivia looked up when there was a soft tap at the bedroom door.

Alex walked into the room and placed a bottle of arnica on the bedside table.

"Ma'am, if she doesn't want to sleep by herself tonight, she can sleep in the bed with you and I can sleep on my mattress." Alex offered kindly.

Olivia shifted Michaela so that she was sitting on one knee, and she pulled Alex down to sit on the other, cuddling both of her beloved girls. Alex reached across and took Michaela's hand.

"Thank you for the offer, angel. We'll let her decide later. I'm so proud of both of my girls." Olivia smiled, kissing Alex's forehead while she rubbed Michaela's heaving back.

Michaela cried herself to sleep in her Mistress's arms. She hadn't even realized that Alex was there holding her hand. Olivia gently laid Michaela on the bed and quietly left the room to allow her sweet little submissive to rest.

When Michaela woke up, she felt the pain in her bottom and began to cry again. She was so confused and it scared her. Olivia heard her sweet little submissive crying and hurried to the bedroom.

"Oh, sweetheart," Olivia cooed and scooped Michaela into her arms, "it's okay, baby girl. I gotcha. You're safe."

"I don't understand!" Michaela sobbed on her Mistress's shoulder.

"What don't you understand, my love? Maybe I can explain it to you and help you understand it better." Olivia rocked Michaela slowly.

"I screwed up. Why didn't you scream at me and beat my back and breasts and face? Why didn't you punish me for crying and making such a fuss during my punishment? Why do you feed me when I haven't done anything to earn it? Why do you hold me when I am sad or when I get scared? Why do you call me a good girl? Why do you thank me when I do things for you? I don't understand why you're so nice to me. I am nothing." Michaela burst into fresh tears, afraid that Olivia would be angry with her for questioning her.

"Baby, take my hand and I want you to squeeze it when you feel calm enough to listen to me and truly hear what I am going to say to you. You can cry as much as you want, but I want you to squeeze my hand when you are ready to listen." Olivia ordered kindly, taking Michaela's shaking hand in her own.

Michaela just sobbed. She was afraid to squeeze Olivia's hand. She knew what Olivia was going to tell her. She was going to tell her that she was an ungrateful little bitch and throw her out in the street. Or she was going to tell her that she was going to be beaten and starved for questioning her. Submissives weren't allowed to question their Dominant's actions. They were supposed to shut up and do as they were told no matter what. It took several minutes, but Michaela finally worked up enough courage to give Olivia's hand a tiny squeeze, knowing that if she squeezed too hard she would be punished for it, and she never wanted another spanking ever again. Her bottom hurt. Michaela braced herself for whatever Olivia was going to say.

"That's my good girl," Olivia kissed Michaela's forehead, "I am proud of you for asking me those questions, angel, and I will do my best to answer all of them. Do you know the difference between a spanking and a beating, sweetheart?"

"No, Ma'am." Michaela responded honestly. In her mind, it was all the same.

"Well, a spanking is what I gave you today. It is a punishment given on your bottom with my hand, or sometimes an implement, when you break a rule to help teach you a lesson and remind you to behave like the good girl you are. Your bottom is a fleshy area where a sound spanking can be given safely and not cause you any lasting harm. I know your bottom hurts a lot right now, but you will be perfectly fine in a day or two, especially after I give you something called arnica cream before we go to bed tonight."

Michaela sniffled sadly. What was arnica cream and why was Olivia going to give it to her? She hadn't done anything to earn it. Submissives had to earn kindness, and if they didn't earn it, it was proof that they were worthless. Michaela had never managed to earn a Dominant's kindness.

"A beating is something very different, and it is illegal for a Dominant to beat their submissive. Your face, neck, and other bony areas aren't meant to be struck because they are very delicate and could break, and if someone hits you with an object or kicks you in an area such as your kidneys, it can cause kidney failure. I know you don't believe it right now, honey, but I am going to spend the rest of my life proving to you that submissives are just as worthy of respect, kindness, and love as everybody else. You don't have to earn my kindness, love, and respect. You had it the moment you stepped foot in this apartment. You don't have to earn the right to eat. You _need_ food in order to live and be healthy, and I will never take something you need away from you. I may take away your ability to sit comfortably for a while, to help you learn a lesson, but I will never take away food, clothing, bathroom privileges, medical care, or any other necessity."

Michaela began to mull these words over in her mind, but Olivia wasn't done talking yet.

"Now, let's talk a little bit about your punishment today. The reason I told you that you were a good girl for your punishment is because you _were_. Spankings hurt a lot, and when something hurts you, it is a natural reaction to cry and want it to stop. I am not the least bit angry when one of my girls cries during a spanking or pleads with me to stop. You fought me a little bit, which is why I had to restrain your hand, but I did that to protect you, not because I was angry with you. Struggling and kicking while you're over my lap throws your body off balance and I didn't want you to hit your head on the floor or against the bed."

Michaela sat in shock. Her health and safety had never been a top priority to anyone. If Olivia loved her so much, maybe she could learn to love herself one day.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I was supposed to head out of town for five weeks at the crack of dawn this morning, but I got a call late last night and my trip was POSTPONED UNTIL JUNE, so all of you lucky people get another chapter since I'm in a REALLY good mood! It's a short one, but it gets the job done. :-)**

Weeks passed, and with Olivia and Alex's support, Michaela was slowly beginning to heal mentally and emotionally. She was learning that she was a treasured human being worthy of kindness, respect, and love. She adored her Mistress and had come to see Alex as a sister. Michaela and Alex did their chores together, went through training together, ran errands together, ate together, watched movies together, got in trouble together, and were scolded together. Michaela earned another spanking, but wasn't as afraid as she had been the first time and was able to accept her punishment a little more gracefully, knowing that once it was over she would be forgiven, cuddled, and loved on. Olivia's favorite part of the week was on her days off from work when she could take her two sweet little submissives out to lunch, to a movie, or to a museum, anywhere and everywhere that Michaela had never been allowed to go before in order to help Michaela discover the world. Olivia took Michaela to the club once, but it scared her too much and Olivia told her that she didn't have to go back if she didn't want to, and praised her for giving it a shot. The dungeon-like setting and weird lighting was too much of a reminder of all the dark basements that Michaela had been chained up in.

Michaela discovered that she loved photography, and Olivia bought her a camera for her birthday to encourage the hobby. Michaela was outside one day taking pictures when something caught her eye - or, rather, some _one_. She froze in fear for a split second, and then turned around and ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She didn't stop running until she was safe inside her apartment. Alex jumped in surprise when Michaela ran through the door, and watched in concern as Michaela burst into tears and sank down to the floor, trembling and pale.

"Ma'am!" Alex called out urgently, hurrying to Michaela's side.

Olivia appeared almost instantly, hearing one of her beloved girls crying and the other calling for her. Michaela struggled to her feet and practically knocked Olivia over as she jumped into the safety of her Mistress's arms.

"What happened, baby? What scared you?" Olivia kissed Michaela's head and rubbed her back and hair.

"I-I saw him!" Michaela whimpered in fear.

"Who did you see?" Olivia asked with concern. Whoever it was had scared the living daylights out of her sweet little submissive.

"M-my old Master. H-he looked r-right at me!" Michaela wept on Olivia's shoulder.

Alex's eyes got big, and she immediately ran to lock the apartment door.

"Sweetheart, let me see your eyes." Olivia ordered kindly. Michaela refused to let go of Olivia, but pulled back just enough so they could look each other in the eye.

"I made you a promise the day I brought you home. Do you remember? I promised you that I would never let anybody hurt you ever again. Your old Master was arrested, and obviously he's out on bail now. That's okay, though. He doesn't know where you live and the court isn't allowed to tell him. Your hair is getting a little longer and you aren't as underweight as you used to be, so he may not have even recognized you. You were a good girl to come straight inside when you saw him. Now I need both of my good girls to come to the kitchen and help me make lunch. Today we're having pasta and salad, so everybody gets to feed themselves and I want to see both your plates empty."

After lunch, it was time for more training. Michaela and Alex were learning how to tie a crotch rope, and it was more complicated than it looked so there was more than one groan of frustration let out. Olivia praised them for a job well done, and then as a reward got them set up in front of the television with a movie and popcorn. They were about twenty minutes into _Les Miserables_ when they were startled by Olivia's cell phone ringing. Michaela hit the pause button on the TV remote.

"Benson…. What's up, Carisi?…. All right, I'm on my way." Olivia unwound herself from her girls and stood up from her spot on the couch.

Alex and Michaela pouted. It was supposed to be Olivia's day off.

"Sorry, babies. They need me at work, but just for a few hours and then I'll be home. Now listen carefully, please. You may finish the movie. Wash the popcorn bowl, and then spend at least another hour practicing with the ropes. Make sure you have the scissors handy in case you need them. Come to the bedroom with me before I go. You're both getting plugged."

The two submissive women practically ran to the bedroom in excitement. Butt plugs were one of Alex's favorite things and Michaela was learning to love them as well. The plugs were a constant reminder of Olivia's love for them, even when Olivia wasn't physically there. It would also stimulate them so they would have to concentrate harder on whatever they were doing. Alex and Michaela pulled down their jeans and panties and bent across the bed side by side. Olivia grinned and, unable to resist temptation, gave each bare bottom a quick series of affectionate spanks, causing each of her girls to jump in surprise and squeal in delight. She thoroughly lubed each girl and then carefully placed a plug inside each of them. Since Michaela was much newer to butt plugs than Alex was, her plug was a little bit smaller. Olivia washed her hands free of lube, kissed her girls goodbye, and left to once again defend the streets of New York City. She smiled knowing that her girls would be begging for sexual release by the time she got back.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I've got a couple of very confused people asking me questions, and they left their reviews as guests so I can't respond to them personally, so I will answer their questions here. First of all, yes, this has become a three-way relationship between a Dominant and her two submissives, and Michaela is Olivia's submissive for keeps. Second of all, somebody was very confused about Michaela's sexuality, because a few chapters ago it was mentioned that she was straight, and yet in the last chapter, a female Dominant is putting something inside of her. Michaela believed she was straight, but is beginning to discover something about herself that will be revealed in the next few chapters. I realize it may appear that I left out a huge chunk of information, but I promise there is a method to my madness, just give me some time. Remember, Michaela is really just learning about herself and discovering who she is as a person instead of just a piece of property. Third of all, neither Michaela or Alex are EVER forced to do ANYTHING. This is a CONSENSUAL relationship.**

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"I want both of my girls kneeling in front of me. Now!"

Olivia was wondering what the hell was in the water and how to get rid of it. There had been nothing but disrespect, backtalk, whining, disobedience, and sass all day long. Michaela had already been swatted twice, and Alex had been swatted three times. Michaela was mad that she didn't get her way during training, and Alex seemed to be taking great delight in tormenting Michaela until the two submissive women were practically rolling around on the floor in a full-blown cat fight. Olivia nearly jumped out of her skin when Michaela suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs, yelling at Alex to leave her alone. On the outside, Olivia was the epitome of a stern Mistress dealing with a naughty little submissive. On the inside, Olivia was turning cartwheels. Michaela was learning that it was okay to stand up for herself, and Olivia was ecstatic about that. However, Alex and Michaela had broken at least three rules and, unfortunately, their bare bottoms were going to pay the price.

It suddenly dawned on Alex and Michaela that they may have crossed a line as they reluctantly dropped to their knees and crawled over to their Mistress, kneeling at her feet and looking up at her with remorse and guilt in their eyes.

"Alexandra Justine, tell me why you girls are in trouble." Olivia spoke firmly.

"Because we have been brats, Ma'am. We have been disobedient and disrespectful and whiny and we have been fighting and talking back to you." Alex hung her head in shame.

"Michaela Rose, tell me what the consequence is for all of those things." Olivia turned her attention to her little redhead.

"A hard spanking on our bare bottoms, Ma'am." Michaela responded sadly.

"You know what to do. I'll be right there."

Alex and Michaela immediately got up and went straight to the bedroom, knowing better than to disobey at this point. They pulled down their pants and panties, and stood in separate corners with their hands on their heads, bare bottoms exposed and ready for their Mistress's strict attention. This was nothing new. They had been punished together several times before.

"Come here, Michaela Rose." Olivia called as she entered the bedroom and sat down on the bed.

Michaela gasped, but she didn't dare protest. She already had tears swimming in her pretty grey eyes as she walked over to her Mistress and stood in front of her. Spankings sucked. Olivia gently guided Michaela into position over her lap and began to spank her with her hand.

"Back to the corner, little girl. Your spanking isn't over yet. Alexandra Justine, come here." Olivia spoke when Michaela's bottom was dark pink.

Michaela stood up from Olivia's lap with tears streaming down her face. She resumed her position in the corner as Alex assumed her position over Olivia's lap. Olivia gave Alex the same hand spanking she had just given Michaela, and paused.

"Stand up, young lady, and bend across the bed. Michaela, come over here and bend across the bed."

Sniffling and whimpering, Alex and Michaela bent across the bed side by side, knowing that they deserved the spankings they were getting. They reached over and grasped each other's hands in a silent show of support. Olivia allowed them to hold hands as she removed the belt from around her slender waist and folded it in half. She placed her hand on the small of Michaela's back to help keep her in place, and brought the belt down, causing Michaela to cry out. Olivia immediately gave Alex a swat with the belt. She alternated between the girls until each of them had received thirty swats with the belt. By this time, Alex and Michaela were crying freely and struggling to keep themselves from reaching back, gripping each other's hands until their knuckles were white.

"Stay there. I'll be right back. No rubbing." Olivia reminded them before exiting the room and returning with the wooden spoon from the kitchen.

"Please, Ma'am!" Alex and Michaela wailed upon Olivia's return to the bedroom. The wooden spoon stung so bad!

"I'm sorry, girls. You were naughty, and now you're paying the price." Olivia brought the spoon down on Alex's bottom, and then Michaela's, alternating until each of them had received another thirty swats. By this time, Alex and Michaela were sobbing uncontrollably like the well-spanked submissives that they were.

"Back to the corner with you." Olivia ordered kindly. There was no need to be stern any longer.

The two submissive women slowly stood up and made their way back to their corners, sobbing and being careful to keep their hands away from their sore, red bottoms. Olivia returned the wooden spoon to the kitchen, and put her belt back on.

"Come here, my loves." Olivia called ten minutes later.

Hearing their Mistress call them her 'loves', Michaela and Alex knew they were forgiven and they burst into tears of relief as they turned from the corner and ran into Olivia's waiting arms.

"There, there. It's all over, my loves. My good girls." Olivia cooed as she cuddled Alex on one knee and Michaela on the other.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am!" they sobbed out.

"I know you're sorry, babies. You are forgiven, totally and completely. No more spanking." Olivia kissed Alex's forehead and gave the same to Michaela, rubbing their heaving backs and cooing tender words of love to them. Olivia helped her girls lie down on the bed on their stomachs and stayed with them, stroking their hair and cooing softly, until they fell asleep.

About an hour later, Olivia looked up from where she was sitting on the couch when she heard a noise, and she smiled sympathetically when she saw Michaela and Alex crawling toward her, still bare bottomed and with red, puffy eyes looking up at her. They were both clearly still in fragile states after their punishments. Olivia allowed Alex and Michaela to rest their heads on her lap while she gently stroked their hair. Alex pulled herself up to sit on Olivia's lap, and Olivia welcomed her with open arms while Michaela knelt on the floor leaning against Olivia's legs with her arms wrapped around them, seemingly trying to fuse their bodies together. All was silent while Olivia cuddled and loved on her girls, softly praising them for accepting their punishments like good girls and reassuring them of her love. She knew she had a reputation within the D/s community as being very strict, but she always did her very best to balance strictness and love. She fully believed that even the hardest of spankings was useless if there was no love to back it up, especially given Michaela's background where there was a lot of punishment and no love. Olivia's submissives were hugged and cuddled more than they were spanked, and Olivia prided herself on that.


	10. Chapter 10

Michaela sat cross-legged on her bed staring out the window at the rain pouring down. Olivia walked by and popped her head in the room, tapping softly so as not to startle Michaela, who appeared to be deep in thought.

"Hey, little one. You okay?" Olivia asked as she sat down on Michaela's bed.

"Yeah. I just feel sad today. I'm confused." Michaela crawled into her beloved Mistress's lap, suddenly craving the love and affection that she knew she would find there.

"Do you want to talk to me about it? Maybe I can help." Olivia offered kindly as she cuddled her sweet little submissive close to her heart and rocked.

"It's just… I've belonged to you for almost a year now, but you haven't had sex with me yet. I've tried to be good enough for you. Are you getting tired of me?" Michaela's grey eyes filled with tears and she tried to blink them back. If she was going to get kicked out of yet another home, she sure as hell was going to do it with dignity.

"Of course not, baby. You are perfectly good enough for me. The reason I haven't had sex with you, well, there are a few. First, you told Alex when you were in the hospital that you are straight, and I will never violate that."

"I don't know what I am anymore," Michaela whimpered, "I always had Masters. I never had a Mistress until you took me in, and I don't know how to have sex with a woman, but I thought maybe I could learn but you haven't had sex with me yet and I just thought maybe that meant you didn't want me anymore."

"Oh, sweetheart. Listen to me, I love you _very_ much. Both you and Alex. You haven't had a chance to experience good sexual relationships, so it makes sense that you would be unsure of what you are, but whatever you choose to be will be perfectly acceptable in this house. If you come to me one day and tell me that you are straight and would be happier with a male dominant, then that's great, and I will help you find a safe, loving home where you will be valued as a person. If you come to me and tell me that you are a lesbian or bi-sexual, then that's great too and we will adjust accordingly."

"I don't want another Master. I only want you as my Mistress. You love me and protect me, and it feels so good when you touch me."

"I'm glad that you like it when I touch you, because I love touching you. With that said, me touching you is very different than me having intercourse with you. I touch you because you have given your consent for me to do so. You have not consented to intercourse, and I will never take what is not given to me freely and willingly. That is called rape and it does not happen in this house, ever."

Michaela snuggled deeper into her Mistress's arms, listening to Olivia's words and finally, for the first time, trusting that they were all true. For the first time in fourteen months, she fully believed that her Mistress was a genuine woman who would never violate or harm her in any way. Spankings sucked, but they only happened when she deserved them and after they were over everything was forgiven. Michaela would never be beaten, starved, raped, berated, or mistreated in any way ever again. She was convinced of it.

"Mistress, I'm home!" Alex called out as she walked through the door with grocery bags in each arm.

"In here, sweetheart!" Olivia called back.

Alex put the groceries on the kitchen counter, dropped to her knees, and crawled toward the sound of her beloved Mistress's voice. When she found Olivia and Michaela sitting in Michaela's room cuddling, she immediately pulled herself up onto the bed to join in so that they were in a three-way cuddle. All was silent for several minutes.

"All right, I need both my good girls to kneel and pay very close attention please." Olivia instructed, gently patting Michaela's bottom and then Alex's.

Alex and Michaela sank to the floor at their Mistress's feet and looked up at her with adoration. Olivia smiled lovingly.

"Now, who can tell me what is happening this evening?"

"Tonight is the play party at Mistress Amanda and Casey's house, Ma'am." Michaela volunteered the information.

"That's right. And it is also a special night for Michaela because this is her very first play party. Alex, please explain the rules when we go to a play party."

"We are allowed to play with anyone we choose, as long as Mistress knows where we are and who we are with. If we get hungry, we have to find Mistress and she will feed us. If someone asks us to play with them, we are allowed to say no, but we must be polite and respectful to everyone at all times. Oh, and if we want to train, we are allowed to train only with Mistress. And if we misbehave, we will get spanked in front of everyone."

"Good girl. Michaela, let me see those pretty eyes, please." Olivia instructed.

Michaela looked her Mistress straight in the eye to prove that she was paying close attention to whatever was about to be said to her.

"Good girl. There will be a lot of people there tonight, and a lot of activity. I understand that you might get scared, and that's okay. If you decide that you want to play, that's fine, but if you decide that you don't want to play, that's perfectly fine too. You are more than welcome to stay by my side the whole evening if that's what you choose, and if anyone tries to pressure you into doing something that you don't want to do, they will have to answer to me. You are mine and I will always protect what is mine."

"Yes, Ma'am." Michaela felt safe knowing that her Mistress was there to protect her.

"Girls! Let's move it along, please! Master Elliot and Kathy will be here any minute!" Olivia called out as she finished lacing up her corset.

Michaela appeared wearing the outfit that her Mistress had chosen for her; a tight black and red corset, a black leather skirt that barely covered her bottom, fishnet stockings, and red heels. Olivia smiled; Michaela had tried to lace her corset herself and hadn't succeeded very well.

"Come here, beautiful." Olivia positioned Michaela in front of her and began to re-lace the corset for her. While she was doing that, Alex walked in wearing a black tube top, tight black pants, and silver heels. Olivia herself was wearing a black and grey corset, a long, flowing black skirt with a slit on the side that reached her hip, and black leather boots. The three women's makeup and hair were flawless.

"Hello! Come on in!" Amanda Rollins greeted her guests with a warm smile, Casey kneeling by her side. Amanda wore a tight green dress and heels. Casey was naked except for a black thong, some pasties covering her nipples, and black heels. Her bottom was nearly as red as her hair, indicating that Casey had recently been spanked over her Mistress's knee. Whether the spanking was for fun or for punishment was anybody's guess.

"Ma'am, can I go play with Casey?" Alex asked, eager to show her best friend some new things she had learned.

"Yes, you may, baby. Go have fun and be a good girl." Olivia smiled.

"What happened there?" Olivia asked, motioning toward Casey's retreating backside.

"Oh, I just had to remind her who's boss around here." Amanda replied.

Michaela looked around with wide eyes. There were people everywhere, all in various stages of dress and all participating in different activities; some playing, some eating, and some just standing around talking and laughing. There was music playing, and scented candles burning. Suddenly feeling overwhelmed, Michaela quietly slipped into her Mistress's arms and cuddled into her side. Olivia continued to speak to Amanda, but gently stroked Michaela's hair, letting her beloved submissive know that she was paying attention and aware of her presence. When Amanda walked away to go greet some other guests who had just arrived, Olivia smiled down at her submissive.

"Good girl for being so quiet while I was talking to Mistress Amanda. Do you want to play, or would you rather stay here with me?"


End file.
